


The Shushan Letters II

by Port



Series: The Shushan Letters [2]
Category: Megillat Ester | Book of Esther, תנ"ך | Tanakh
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 3, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-23 22:28:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13797657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Port/pseuds/Port
Summary: To Vashti’s surprise, Esther continued to write.





	The Shushan Letters II

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Treon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Treon/gifts).



> Hope you had a great Purim, Treon!

To Vashti’s surprise, Esther continued to write. At first it was very polite expressions of thanks for Vashti’s initial response, only proper. Vashti found that dull but wrote back diplomatically, ending her letter with a wry inquiry: What’s new and gossip-worthy at the palace?

It was a rhetorical question; Vashti hated gossip. When Esther’s next scroll arrived, she held her breath before breaking the seal, afraid the girl had sent her an inventory of intrigues. To her relief, Esther had taken her question the right way, as an invitation to open up. She described life at the palace, comparing it to her life at home.

_The changes are small, in some ways. I do more embroidery here than sewing, and I never have to cook. I’m married, but I don’t actually have to take care of anyone. The king has servants to do everything for him. It’s a bit of a relief; I don’t know how to be a wife to a king. I just have to be his queen. Not that that’s easy either; so much of my day is taken up with beauty. I might pull my hair out and give it to my maids to do with as they please, and leave me out of it._

Vashti shuddered and wrote back.

_It took me years to establish authority over the cosmetics brigade, as I called them. The king is invested in having a gorgeous queen, though, so there’s some value in all this vanity. The thing to do is set limits for your maids; know when to tell them ‘I’m beautiful enough today.’_

Esther’s response came quickly.

_I did as you said, Vashti! My maids had finished painting my nails, fingers and toes, and were all set to add another layer of lacquer when I told them, ‘No, I’m beautiful enough today.’ They’re so serious about these things, but they broke out in laughter and said I sounded just like you. I took it as a high compliment._

_I also took your advice and sent for books to be delivered to my apartments. No one else mentioned that was an option. Thank you. Now I am curious how you are spending your time. I am certain you are doing more than looking into a mirror all day._

Vashti found herself smiling as she read Esther’s words. At the ill-fated feast where she had entertained all the wives, mothers and daughters of the dignitaries visiting Shushan for the king’s celebration, Vashti had enjoyed meeting other women who could relate to her position as Queen. None of those women had answered her letters since the divorce.

She wrote back that she was now an advisor to her brother the king and received a disturbing reply.

_That is the perfect role for you, Vashti. You are loyal and intelligent, and you know how to deal with every situation. Meanwhile here the king has elevated Haman as his most powerful advisor. The man makes me uncomfortable; he has greedy eyes. And my uncle enjoys provoking him in the square, which makes me nervous._

Vashti wrote back immediately:

_If you can rein your uncle in, do so right away. Haman is over-sensitive and doesn’t value human life._

Privately, she knew that if she had been there, she could have prevented Haman’s ascent. Esther was still too new, and it wasn’t clear yet whether she wanted to become active in court politics. Just in case, Vashti added:

_If it comes to it, know that the king relies more on the words of his advisors than on his own judgment. If you need something important from him, the thing to do is get access to him in private, away from his other counselors. And of course we both know how much he likes a good feast._

A long time passed after Vashti sent her letter. She worked hard for her brother, who set her to developing a diplomatic corps that included the wives of the diplomats. One day after she had completed a training session, Vashti walked home through the main square and saw many people weeping and tearing their clothes. She pulled a woman aside and learned that the king of Persia had sent out an edict ordering the extermination of all the Jews in his land on a certain day in Adar. The people weeping in the streets were Jews upset for their Persian brethren.

It had Haman’s nasty scent all over it. Vashti went to her brother and reported what she had learned. The next few days were spent considering what could be done, how many refugees they could realistically allow into the land. Then one evening, she and her brother heard cheers rise up from the square and echo across the city. Vashti sent a servant to learn what had happened. He ran back and reported:

“The king in Shushan has issued another edict. The Jews in his lands are allowed to fight back against anyone who attacks them in Adar.”

Vashti turned to her brother and said, “It must be that the king has a new advisor, one who values the Jews.” She could only hope Haman was out for good.

Not long after, a messenger arrived with a scroll bearing Esther’s seal, the same one Vashti had used in her days as queen. The memory of those days was fading, though the experience had left her capable of designing a new path for herself. She broke the seal and opened the scroll, eager to read her new friend’s words.

_Vashti, I have such a story to tell you._


End file.
